Open Access

ARTICLE

A Study on the Fatigue Failure Characteristics of Steel Bridge Deck Pavement Layers under Dynamic Loads

Jiyi Li¹, Zongqi Xiong², Xinxin Cao^3,*

1 Chongqing Highway Maintenance Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
2 JSTI Chongqing Inspection, Testing and Certification Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
3 Department of Road and Urban Railway Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China

* Corresponding Author: Xinxin Cao. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Durability Assessment of Engineering Structures and Advanced Construction Technologies)

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring 2026, 20(5), 22 https://doi.org/10.32604/sdhm.2026.083367

Received 02 April 2026; Accepted 20 May 2026; Issue published 24 August 2026

Abstract

In response to the common interlaminar shear and delamination defects in the pavement of long-span steel bridges, this paper investigates the interface fatigue failure mechanism of the “SMA-13 + epoxy resin + orthotropic steel plate” system. Static direct shear tests indicate that the optimal application rate of epoxy resin is 1.5 kg/m², and that elevated temperatures cause the failure mode to transition from brittle fracture to ductile creep. Based on full-factorial dynamic shear fatigue tests, this study discarded subjective empirical thresholds and innovatively proposed the “geometric tangent method” to quantitatively define fatigue life. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the sensitivity of each factor to fatigue life, in descending order, is: temperature > loading frequency > stress level. Consequently, this study developed a high-precision, multifactorial life prediction model (R² = 0.962), providing a scientific basis for evaluating the long-term service performance of bridge decks. Further validation using experimental data is required.

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Keywords

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